School leaders have two months to win support for a $195 million construction bond. And they think they can make a pretty strong case: The state's fastest-growing district says it desperately needs classrooms and is even running out of space for portables.

But with the "double majority" required for the May 16 election, Beaverton School District leaders need more than a great pitch.

They need to persuade at least half the district's 127,000 registered voters to cast a ballot for any vote to count. Of those who vote, more than half must vote "yes."

They then have to convince residents who don't have students in Beaverton schools, Patrice Basham among them, that an annual property tax bill charge will help solve the district's problems.

"It's a fact, the city is growing, and we need more schools," Basham said. "But, personally, I don't think we should do it through the taxpayers. I know we will vote against it."

Huh???

Beaverton School District is a PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. Its supposed to be paid for with taxpayer dollars. This woman's statement is ridiculous.

She knows Beaverton is growing. She awknowledges the area needs more schools. But because she doesn't have kids in the District--she shouldn't have to pay.

This kind of gimme-mine-and-f-the-rest-of-you attitude is maddening and completely antithetical to community building. Taxes are our dues for living in this great country and this magnificent state. Trying to shirk them is not only irresponsible, frankly its unpatriotic.

My taxes go to build the roads and pay for emergency workers that I may never use. In fact, Patrice Basham probably drives her car on some of these nicely paved, Carla-paid-for roads that I never drive on. If we all decided to only pay for the stuff we actually used--Patrice would be screwed.

No wonder these kinds of bullshit laws are voted for. When people like Patrice foster their inability to see past the end of their own nose--of course they'll vote to screw everyone but themselves.